SR11bn for road projects this year

The Ministry of Transport, in a major exercise to improve infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, has taken up 223 road projects involving laying of roads covering a total length of 3,708 km at a cost of SR11 billion this year. Besides, it will also study the feasibility of laying 1,523 km of new roads in the Kingdom.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the total length of the road network including expressways, double lane and single lane roads had already touched 65,000 km, and all these adhere to the most advanced specifications.
"This is apart from 145,000 km agricultural roads," SPA reported, citing a source, adding that more than 24,000km of different kinds of roads are under construction in various parts of the Kingdom.
Road networks are of strategic importance for Saudi Arabia's industrial development with huge investments having been made for the development of transport infrastructure in addition to expansion of land, sea and air transport.
This year, the government has also decided to implement public transport systems including a metro and bus service system in Riyadh city to be completed in four years.
The King Abdullah Public Transport Project in Riyadh will comprise six metro lines and four fast bus routes in addition to various feeder bus services connecting residential districts and other important locations with main bus stands.
The 176 intra-city metro routes will have 85 stations, while bus routes covering 1,083 km will have 776 bus depots, according to the report.
Another metro system is being implemented in Makkah, while studies are underway to have advanced mass transit systems in other cities as well.